Portable flashlight holder

ABSTRACT

Portable holder for detachable retention of cylindrical flashlight, provides a pair of longitudinally separated spring jaws on a support platform which is medially secured to a rotatable shaft which is journaled between a pair of upstanding arms arising from a flat-bottom base. The transverse shaft has coaxial compression springs which abut the respective upright arms so as to hold the jaw assembly and flashlight at any set rotational position through a complete 360* possible rotation. The base plate may be centrally pivoted to the frame or alternately have a peripheral series of openings for attachment of the unit to a nail or hanger of a vertical wall. Otherwise the base stands on a more-or-less level surface or is carried by a top handhold which connects the upright arms.

0 United States Patent 1 1 3,591,115

[72] Inventor Glenn A.Hibbard 3,144,232 8/1964 Smootz 1. 248/141 1716 W.[65th PL, Gardenia, Calif. 90247 3,222,020 l2/l965 Rea 248/l06 No fi1970 Primary Examiner- William H Schultz Patented y 6 Attorney-Howard L.Johnson 54 P RTABLE FLASHLIGHT HOLDER l o ABSTRACT: Portable holder fordetachable retention of 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

cylindrical flashlight, provides a pair of longitudinally U.S. separatedpring jaws on a u port platform which is medially 243/126, secured to arotatable shaft which is joumaled between a pair [5 l 1 Int. 0fupstanding arms arising from a flapbonom base. The "ansl5/03 verse shafthas coaxial compression springs which abut the [50] Field of Search248/105, respective upright arms so as to hold the jaw assembly and W6,122, 126, 137, l39, 140, 141, I42; 240/525 flashlight at any setrotational position through a complete 360 possible rotation. The baseplate may be centrally [56] References Cited pivoted to the frame oralternately have a peripheral series of UNITED STATES PATENTS openingsfor attachment of the unit to a nail o1- hanger of a 627,955 6/1899 Doss248/126 X vertical wall.- Otherwise the base stands on a more-or-lesslevel 2,063,554 12/1936 Meyerson 248/106 surface or is carried by a tophandhold which connects the 2,717,753 9/1955 Schweikert 248/106 uprightarms.

PORTABLE FLASHLEGHT HOLDER As noted in the preceding abstract, thisinvention relates to a portable holder for detachable mounting of aselectively tiltablc flash light of the type which functions with asingle-line sequence of cylindrical power cells or batteries. The assembled holder and flash light can be carried (or swung) by a persons handor over his forearm, or placed on a more-or-less horizontal or generallyflat (including somewhat inclined) sur face, or alternatively have itsbase plate transiently hung from or secured against a vertical surface.With the base plate thus uptilted, the frame carrying the flash lightcan be located at a selected rotational position relative to the uprightwall, and at the same time, the light can be rotated 360 within itsframe. Thus, when in any of these positions, the flash light itself canbe directed at any angle of inclination, regardless of whether the baseis horizontal or vertical. Structurally there is a generallyinverted-U-shape frame which may be either pivotally or fixedlyupstanding from a flat-bottom annular base. Particularly when the frameis not centrally pivoted to the base, the latter may be formed with aperipheral series of attachment sockets or openings for attachment to anail or hanger. A cross shaft rotatably traverses the upright arms ofthe U and is retained at any set position by a pair of coaxialcompression springs which abut the respective arms. The shaft carries alongitudinal support which has a pair of spring jaws adjacent itsrespective ends, so that a tubular flash light can be held jointly bythe two pair of jaws, and the support plus flash light be completelyinverted within the U-frame. The cross arm of the U (at the top of theassembly) normally serves as a carrying handle.

In addition to the flash light being capable of being withdrawn at willand used apart from the holder, its varied utility with theholder-assembly is manifest: The holder can be carried over the forearmto provide light while leaving the hands free for other tasks. Whentemporarily placed at a fixed location, the light can be trained toremain at a desired spot such as a work area. For example, when workingbeneath a motor vehicle, or within an engine block or other machinerycrevice, the light can thus be first focused at the desired limited areaand the worker is then free to move in relation to it. Or when bothhands are required to hold a pencil and paper, the self-supporting flashlight can first be concentrated on the work area of the paper. Thehanger can first be hung on any convenient peg or projection regardlessof which way the flash light beam is initially directed, and the flashlight can then be tilted to the required alignment.

it is thus an important object to provide such a versatile holder whichis both simple and sturdy construction and can be assembled from readilyavailable structural elements such as light weight aluminum stock.

Other advantages will become apparent from the drawings of a presentlypreferred embodiment of the invention wherein FIG. 1 is an elevationalview of my portable flash light holder shown standing on a flat surface(seen in section) with the tubular flash light indicated in phantom.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the same along the line 2-2of HO. 1, with a tilted position of the clamp jaw assembly and theirflash light seen in phantom.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the whole assembly in reduced scale,seen attached to a vertical support member or wall, which appears insection. FIG. 4 is plan view of modified frame pivoted to base.

As here illustrated, there is provided a generally inverted-U- shapedframe such as formed by bending a flat metal strip, of which the toparcuate or bowed portion 12 subsequently serves as a convenient handholdfor manually swinging or carrying the unit. The upright arms 9, 11 havetheir lower ends inturned toward each other to form attachment tabs 13,14 which are anchored to an annular, flat-bottom base plate 16 bycoupling units comprising a washer l5, bolt 17 and nut 18. Alternatively(or in addition) each tab l3, 14 may be secured to the base plate by aheaded bolt or rivet 19. Or when using steel base plate and frameelements, the tabs can be welded to the base plate or otherwiseattached.

' The base plate 16 is formed with a peripheral circle of attachmentapertures 20, so that the unit can be stood upright upon anymore-or-less horizontal suiface .21 (such as a garage floor, workbench,shelf, etc.) or the essentially flat base 16 can be disposedperpendicular and placed .against a more-orless vertical wall 8 and oneof the socket-apertures 20 hung over a projecting nail of hanger '7(FIG. 3). Depending upon which one of the circle of apertures 20 isselected, the mounted flash light L will be directed up, down, or at anintermediate angle. The flash light can then be angularly inclinedwithin its frame 10 as described below.

Transversely piercing the upright arms 9, ll of the frame at aboutmid-height is a rotatable shaft 22, formed essentially of a cylindricalbolt, of which the head 23 and the distal threaded end 26 which carriesa pair of lock nuts 25, 26, are each spaced outward from the respectiveouter faces of the frame arms 9, 11. A compression spring 27, 28 iscoiled coaxially about each penultimate end segment of the shaft betweenan inner washer 29, 30 which abuts the respective frame arm, and anouter washer 31, 32 which respectively abut the bolt head 23 and thelock nut 25. The action of the pair of mutually balanced axial springsthus allows the shaft 22 to be rotated by a small amount of torquethrough a complete circle (in either direction) and to be automaticallyheld (without angular selfdisplacement due to gravity) at any desiredrest position. This result is of course the same whether the base plateis horizontal (FIG. 1) or vertical (FlG. 3).

The rotatable shaft 22 fixedly carries a support platform 33 whichextends transversely approximately equidistant on either side of theshaft in a direction parallel to the flat sides of the frame arms 9, 11.The platform is fastened to the cross shaft 22 by a U-bolt 34 having itsthreaded ends inserted through a saddle-bearing 35 and secured by nuts37, 38. The bearing 35 is formed with a cross channel 36 which slidinglycradles the cross shaft 22. Upstanding from the obverse face 33 of theplatform two longitudinally aligned pairs of spring arms ofjaws ill, a2,mounted adjacent respective ends of the platform by screws 53, 44 andnuts 45, do, or similar fastening means. Accordingly, a tubular flashlight L may be detachably retained jointly by the two pair of springjaws 41, 42, the flash light being of such length that by revolving theplatform in either direction, the light can be swung beneath the handlearea E2 of the frame ME. At whatever angle the platform 33 is brought torest, is the continuing angle of the light beam, until it issubsequently (manually) changed, as desired. 7

By the modification illustrated in FIG. d, the pair of inturned tab ends47 of the frame lit), as a unit are welded to a friction washer 48 whichis then rotationally secured against the base plate 16 by the bolt 37and nut 18. The latter is retained sufficiently tight so that the frame10 will remain in whatever angular position it is (manually) locatedrelative to the base plate, regardless of whether or what extent thebase is horizontal or vertical.

lclaim:

l. A flash light holder of the character described, comprising incombination:

a base adapted to he stood on a generally level surface and alternatelyto be uptilted and attached to an upright wall;

a frame comprising a connected pair of laterally separated armsupstanding from the base, said frame being swivelly mounted on said baseand disposable at selected rotational positions relative to the basewhen the latter is uptilted;

a cross shaft means rotatably mounted on each of said supporting armsand connecting said upstanding arms generally parallel to the base andcarrying transverse support platform means having frictional retentionmeans for detachably holding a flash light lengthwise therealong, whichplatform means and flash light are rotatable about the axis of the shaftmean between said arms; and

tension means acting between said frame and shaft means, said tensionmeans located generally coaxial to said shaft means and adapted bycontinuous engagement with said frame to hold the shaft means andplatform means at any set rotational position relative 'to the arms,whereby a flashlight held thereby may be held at any angular dispositionwithin the frame by said tension means regardless of the position of thebase. 2. The flash light holder of the preceding claim 1 wherein saidframe is essentially an inverted-U-shaped strip of which the top crossportion serves as a handhold, and said coaxial tension means are formedby a pair of coil springs carried by said cross shaft.

3 The flash light holder of the preceding claim 1 in combination with aflash light held therein by said frictional retention means whichconsist essentially of two pair of spring jaws.

4. The flash light holder of the preceding claim 3 wherein saidflashlight held by said platform means is of less axialextent than thedistance between the shaft means and either end of the frame, wherebysaid platform means and held flash light are jointly rotatable 360within said frame.

1. A flash light holder of the character described, comprising incombination: a base adapted to be stood on a generally level surface andalternately to be uptilted and attached to an upright wall; a framecomprising a connected pair of laterally separated arms upstanding fromthe base, said frame being swivelly mounted on said base and disposableat selected rotational positions relative to the base when the latter isuptilted; a cross shaft means rotatably mounted on each of saidsupporting arms and connecting said upstanding arms generally parallelto the base and carrying transverse support platform means havingfrictional retention means for detachably holding a flash lightlengthwise therealong, which platform means and flash light arerotatable about the axis of the shaft mean between said arms; andtension means acting between said frame and shaft means, said tensionmeans located generally coaxial to said shaft means and adapted bycontinuous engagement with said frame to hold the shaft means andplatform means at any set rotational position relative to the arms,whereby a flashlight held thereby may be held at any angular dispositionwithin the frame by said tension means regardless of the position of thebase.
 2. The flash light holder of the preceding claim 1 wherein saidframe is essentially an inverted-U-shaped strip of which the top crossportion serves as a handhold, and said coaxial tension means are formedby a pair of coil springs carried by said cross shaft.
 3. The flashlight holder of the preceding claim 1 in combination with a flash lightheld therein by said frictional retention means which consistessentially of two pair of spring jaws.
 4. The flash light holder of thepreceding claim 3 wherein said flashlight held by said platform means isof less axial extent than the distance between the shaft means andeither end of the frame, whereby said platform means and held flashlight are jointly rotatable 360* within said frame.